Electrical switch



Dec. 1, 1936. C, G K PP TZ 2,062,580

ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Feb.- 27, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 1, 1936. G KQPPH'Z 2,062,580

ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Feb. 27, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 2 C. G. KOPPITZ ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Feb. 27, 1954 6 Sheefs-Sheet 3 a v I o,,, I

Dec. 1, 193

C. G. KOPPHTZ ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Feb. 27, 19 54 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 1, 1936., c. e. KOPPITZ ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Feb. 27, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 III gwuento'cz Kama Patented Dec. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES ELECTRICAL SWITCH Carl G. Koppitz, Greensburg, Pa., assignor to Railway & Industrial Engineering 00., Greensburg, Pa., a. corporation oi Pennsylvania Application February 2t, 1934, Serial no. 713,176 17 Claims. (oi. 2co 4s) This invention relates to electrical switches,

and particularly to switches for use on power lines transmitting current at relatively high potentials.

An object of the present invention is to provide high voltage switches which require a minimum of ground or floor space. a switch having contacts carried by insulator columns, one column being mounted for axial or reciprocating movement to open and close the contacts. A further object isto provide a high voltage switch including a hollow tank or shell and two vertical insulator columns carrying switch contacts, one column being fixed to the top of the tank or shell and the other being adapted to telescope within the shell when the switch is opened. A further specific object is to provide a switch in which a flattened contact element is reciprocated to enter freely within a pivoted jaw element, and the reciprocation of the contact element is accompanied by a pivotal movement of the jaw element which wedges the contact element across the jaw element.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification when taken with the accompanying drawings, in which: 7

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation, with parts in section, of a switch installation embodying the invention;

Fig. 1a is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of a flexible conductor employed for making contact to the movable contact element of the switch;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a pair of switches and associated electrical equipment;

Fig. 3 is a horizontalsection on line 33 of Fig. 1;.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation, on a larger scale, of

the contacts just prior to engagement, parts being broken away for a clear illustration of the jaw element; I I

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the elements in fully engaged positions;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on line 6 -8 of Fig.5;

. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section on line An object isto provide Fig. 11 is a side elevationof another form of, reciprocating insulator column or switch blade. The particular switch structure selected for illustration of the invention is for use on a relatively high voltage line, such as a 287 kilovolt, 5

i200 ampere line, but it will be apparent that similar mechanical constructions may be employed on lines subjected to other loadings. The design of the switch is such that it is readily adapted to use at high voltages, but the invention is not limited to any given voltage or range of voltages.

In the drawings, the reference numeral l identifies an insulator column which has a flattened contact element 2 supported on the axis of 15 the column,,the insulator column being mounted for reciprocating movement on the grounded support 3 which also carries the fixed insulator column d. The support 3 has the general form of an upright cylindrical'shell or tank which houses the column i when the switch is opened, the column i being carried upon an elongated carriage 5 which has upper and lower sets of Wheels 6 engaging the opposed vertical channel members ll of the support. The column is raised and lowered by means of a motor 8 through a chain or belt 9 which extends to the lower end of the carriage, the weight of the column and carriage being balanced by a counterweight Ill.

The contact 2 is mounted on an insulator cap H which engages the support 3 to ground the contact when the switch is fully open,. and the cap has an extension or rod l2 for receiving the end of a flexible lead -l 3. The lead comprises an outer shell or tube of woven metal ribbons and tension spring l4 within the shell to take up the slack during movement of the insulator column. The other end of lead it is connected to the terminal 15 on an insulator it which is mounted on the case M which housesan associated electrical unit, such as an overload circuit breaker. As shown in Fig. 2, the several units of a multiple switch assembly require a minimum floor space as the several switches in the'difierent lines ofa multiphase transmission system can be placed much closer to each other than is'possible with the usual types of system is to be housed in buildings in localities where construction costs are high. This condition usually is present in the case of high voltage transmission systems which employ water power for operating" the generator.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5; the fixed insulator column 4 supports an inverted bell or hood 18 in which a jaw element is mounted. Any suitable type of jaw may be employed but I prefer to employ a pivoted jaw to obtain high pressure contact engagement such as described in my prior Patent No. 1,949,019. As illustrated, the jaw element includes a heavy spring I!) of U-shape on which the contact members 20, 2| of high electrical conductivity are secured. The contact face of the upper member 20 is arcuate and that of the lower member is flat. The spring member is pref erably of steel and leads 22 extend from each contact member to the hood l8 to avoid the transmission of current through the spring. Lateral arms 23 extend from the contact member 20 and carry pins 24 which engage in vertical guides 25 in the hood to effect a rotation of the contact member 20 about the axis or approximate axis of the curved contact surface when the jaw element is raised. Arms 26 extend from member 20 to the pivot pin 21 which is supported on links 28 which are pivoted to the fixed rod 29, a spring 30 being mounted on pin 21 to tilt the jaw member outwardly and downwardly with respect to the top of the insulator column 4.

As best shown'in Fig. 4, the contact 2 is supported between the two arms 3| of a yoke which is yieldingly held to the insulator cap II by a spring 32, and the arms carry guide pins 33 which are adapted to enter the flared ends of guide channels 34 in the hood |8 when the insulator column is raised. The upper and lower surfaces of the contact element 2 may be, and preferably are, slightly rounded to provide substantially line contact engagement with the contact members 20, 2| of the jaw element.

The operation of the mechanism will be apparent from an examination of Figs. 4 and 5. As

- the insulator column approaches the upper limit of its motion, the guide pins 33 enter the channels 34 and the upper edge of the contact element 2 then engages the curved contact surface of the member 20. Further upward movement of the insulator column produces a rotary motion of the jaw element which carries the fiat contact surface of member 2| beneath the contact element 2. The upper contact member 20 rotates about the axis of the guide pins 24 but the lower member is thrown forward rapidly due tothe linkage which mounts the jaw element on the rod 29. A relatively small vertical motion of the upper end of the jaw element is accompanied by a rapid rotation of the entire jaw element due to the floating pivot pin 27.

The normal opening between the contact members of the jaw element is somewhat less than the height of the flattened contact element 2, and the 'switch contacts are therefore engaged under a relatively high unit pressure which is determined by the relative size of theparts and the strength of the spring |9. At the beginning of the opening movement of the switch, the spring 32 permits a slight relative movement of the contact element 2 and column I which prevents excessive shocks and strains.

The contact elements differ from those of prior switches of this general type in that a separate operating mechanism is not required for effecting the rotary motion of the jaw member. The same relative movements for obtaining the wiping engagement and high pressure contact can be obtained by interchanging the flattened contact element and the jaw element.

The reciprocating insulator column type of switch is particularly economical when double switches are to be used, since it effects some economy in insulator costs and also materially reduces the space requirements below values which are possible with previous designs. As shown in Fig. 8, the fixed insulator column 40 is mounted on the top cap or wall of a shell 4| of elliptical cross-section which serves asa housing and guide for the movable insulator columns 42, 43. A double hood 44 is secured to the column 40 to house the two jaw elements, not shown, which cooperate with the contact elements 45 on the insulator caps 46 of the movable columns. As in the other switch, the travel of the movable columns is such that the insulator caps 46 rest upon the shell 4| to ground the movable contacts when the switches are in fully open position.

Each movable column has its own operating mechanism, but similar switches in a multiple line transmission system may be operated from a single motor. The wheeled (arriage for each column may be identical with that shown in Fig. 1, and will not be described in detail. A counterweight 41 is connected to the lower end of each carriage by a chain 48 which passes over an idler pulley 49, and the drive to the carriage is through a chain 56 which extends from the lower end of chain 48 to the bottom of the counterweight. Chain 50 passes around a driving sprocket or wheel 5| on a common operating .shaft 52 that is located in a tunnel or channel extending beneath the series of switches of one line and is driven by a motor 53. Turnbuckles 56 are included in the chain connections to permit an accurate adjustment of all connected switches to the same relative positions.

The connections from the movable insulator caps 46 to circuit breakers or other fixed terminals may be by flexible leads, such as shown in Fig. 1, or by the illustratedlinkage which includes rods 54 pivoted to each other and having their outer ends pivoted, respectively, to a rod 55 on insulator cap 46 and to a fixed terminal 56. The terminal 56 and the pivoted end of each rod have the form of a hemisphere 51, the adjacent hemispheres at each joint being connected mechanically by a pivot bolt 58 and being connected electrically by flexible leads 59 that are housed within the joint members.

It will be apparent that there is some latitude in the design of the mechanical drive for the reciprocating switch columns. As shown in Fig. 10, the central member 60 of the wheeled carriage is a hollow rod which has a nut 6| at its lower end. The screw 62 which engages the nut carries a gear 63 that is driven by a worm shaft 64 that preferably extends under all of the associated switch members of a multiphase installation.

The described constructions are particularly advantageous since the movable contacts are automatically grounded on the shells, and the entire insulator column is housed within the shell or tank when the switch is opened, thus ensuring complete safety during inspection or repair of the movable insulator column. The dimensions of the shells or tubular housings are of such size, for the present high tension lines, that there is ample room within them for a man to enter, through a door at the base, and to work on the insulator column or the operating mechanism.

Certain advantages of the invention may be obtained, however, when the shell or tank is replaced by a structural column or other support, and when the movable column is ndt restricted to an exact axial movement. One variation in 7 construction, as shown in Fig. 11, includes a structural steel column 65 supporting the fixed insulator column 61. The movable column 68 is mounted on a vertical bar 69 which cooperates with links 10 to form a parallel motion linkage.

The operating mechanism, indicated by the rodand crank 12, is secured to a shaft 13 which is rigidly connected to the upper link 10. The electrical elements may be similar to those shown in the other views except that the insulator cap 14 on the movable column has a grounding lug 15 for engaging a grounding contact 16 on the frame 66 when the insulator 001i. -nn is'lowered.

It will be apparent that the invention is not restricted to the particular constructions herein illustrated and described, and that various changes may be made in the several parts and in their relative design, size and relationship without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the following claims.

v I claim:

v 1. In an electrical switch, a stationary support, a stationary insulator column carried by and extending vertically above said support, a second in ulat or column, means carried by said support and mounting said second column for axial movement parallel to said first-insulator column, cooperating switch elements carried by the respec tive insulator columns, means supporting one of said switch elements for pivotal movement, means yieldingly holding said pivotally mounted element in the path of movement of the other element, and operating means for moving said second insulator column to effect engagement of said switch elements and for then continuing the said movement to produce pivotal movement of said pivotally mounted element.

2. In an electrical switch, a pair of vertical insulator columns, means entirely below and supporting said columns for relative axial movement to bring said columns into and alternatively out of lateral alinement, insulator caps on the upper ends of said columns and carrying respectively a flattened contact element and a jaw element, said contact element having a width greater than the normal opening 'of said jaw element, means supporting one of said elements for pivotal movement on its insulator cap, means yieldingly retaining said pivotally supported element in the path of movement of the other element, and means for effecting relative movement of said insulator columns to introduce saidcontactelement freely into said jaw element and then to move said pivotally supported element to wedge said contact element across said jaw element.

3. In an electrical sTvitchra vertical insulator column mounted for axial displacement, a fixed insulator column parallel to said first column, caps on the top of said columns, the cap of said second column including a portion extending across the path of movement of said first column, a pair of contacts comprising a flattened contact element and a jaw element, means mounting one element on and in relatively fixed position with respect to one of said caps, means pivotally mounting the other element on the second cap, means yieldingly retaining said pivotally mounted element in position to be engaged by and rotated into final switch-closed position by the other element, and means for moving said first column axially to close and to-open said switch.

4. A'switch as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pivotally mounted element is the jaw element.

5. A switch\ as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pivotally mounted element is mounted on the cap of the fixed insulator column.

6. An electrical switch as claimed in claim 3, in combination with a hollow flexible lead connected to the cap of said movable insulator column and to a fixed terminal, and a tension spring within said leadto take up the slack resulting from movement of said movable insulator column.

7. In an electrical switch, a jaw element comprising a pair of opposed contact members between which a flattened contact element is adapted to be wedged, a support for said jaw element including a linkage pivoted to said jaw element and to a relatively stationary rod, and means yieldingly retaining said jaw element in position with one contact member in the path of movement of the flattened contact'element and the other contact member displaced therefrom, whereby movement of said contact element efiects rotation of said jaw element in opposition to said yielding means to wedge said contact element across said jaw element.

8. In an electrical switch, a jaw element as claimed in claim '7, wherein the contact member in the path of the contact element is provided with a curved contact face, in combination with 'guide means for producing relative rotation of the jaw element about the axis of the curved contact surface as said jaw element is moved by the contact element.

9. In an electrical switch, the combination with a jaw element, and insulating means positioned laterally of the jaw and pivotally supporting the same, of a flattened contact element, an insulator column mounted for axial movement, and means supporting said flattened contact element in relatively fixed position on and substantially axially of said movable insulator column.

10. An electrical switch as claimed in claim 9, wherein said last supporting means comprises means rigidly supporting said contact element with respect to said insulator column when said contact ,element enters the jaw element, and spring means permitting limit-ed relative movement of said contact element and insulator column as said contact element is moved out of said jaw element.

11. An electrical switch comprising-a jaw element, a flattened contact element having a width greater than the normal opening of the jawelement, means supporting said contact element for movement substantially in the plane of the width of said contact element, means pivotally supporting said jaw element for movement in a plane at right angles to the plane of movement of said contact element, means yieldingly positioning said jaw element in the path of movement -of said contact element, and operating means for moving said supporting means to ing said contact element to and substantially axially of one insulator column, means pivotally supporting the jaw element on the second insulator column, and. operating means for eifecting relative axial displacement of said-insulator columns to carry said contact element into engagement with said jaw element and to produce by such engagement of the respective elements a rotation of the jaw element with respect to the contact element.

13. In an electrical switch, a pair of vertical insulator columns, insulator caps secured to the tops of said columns and carrying the respective contacts of the switch, a support having one column fixed to and extending above the same, means mounting the second insulator column for axial reciprocation along a path approximately parallel to'and laterally spaced from the axis of the fixed insulator column, and operating means for raising said second insulator column to effect engagement of said switch contacts and for lowering the same to open the switch contacts.

14. In an electrical switch, a grounded support in the form of a cylindrical shell, a stationary insulator column mounted on and extending vertically above the top wall of the shell, a second vertically arranged insulator column, guide means supporting said second column for telescoping movement from a position within said shell into a raised position of substantially horizontal alinement with the first column, a switch column is lowered into its fully open position, whereby the second switch contact is automatically grounded when the switch is opened.

16. A double switch comprising a cylindrical shell, a stationary insulator column mounted on and extending vertically above the top wall of said shell, a vertical insulator column at each side of said stationary column, means mounting each of said last two columns for independent axial displacement from positions substantially within said shell into raised positions of substantially horizontal alinement with said stationary column, a pair of switch contacts carried by said stationary column,' an insulator cap at the top of each movable column, a contact on each cap and each cooperating 'with one contact of said pair to form the cooperating contacts of one switch, and means for actuating each of said movable columns.

1'7. A multiple pole electric switch comprising a plurality of alined cylindrical shells, a stationary insulator column mounted on the top of each shell, a movable insulator column mounted on each shell for telescoping movement with respect to the same, cooperating contacts mounted on insulator caps carried by the pair of insulator columns associated with each shell, an operating shaft extending beneath the said plurality of shells, and operating means actuated by said shaft for effecting simultaneous axial displacement of all of said movable insulator columns. CARL G. KOPPITZ. 

